


Everything for Nothing

by fuwafuwallen



Series: Linked Universe [4]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hyrule (Linked Universe)-centric, Legend (Linked Universe)-centric, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Self-Blame, that too i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:27:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24978388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuwafuwallen/pseuds/fuwafuwallen
Summary: Legend hated nothing more than the Goddesses and all the endless adventures he had been put through.But now he's willing to do it all again just to save his successor, his protégé, his Hyrule.But it was all too late.
Relationships: Hyrule & Legend (Linked Universe)
Series: Linked Universe [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822597
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	Everything for Nothing

Legend wasn't dubbed as the Veteran for nothing.  
But he had everything within himself to hate the title.

He went through many, _many_ adventures he could barely count. To hell with it, he's the only Link who has ever gone through much, _much_ more rivaling the Hero of Winds he'd storytelling every so often during their camp. Wind had three.

But Legend?

His first adventure centered around Hyrule was anything but a rough start. Destiny engulfed him just as quick as that, leaving him no single seconds to grieve properly for his deceased uncle. His uncle had died right in front of his very sight, even with him wished for his revival through the Triforce's power, the bitterness still crept upon his throat and _Goddess, there were too much blood on his hands_ , blood belonged to his uncle which he failed to save. It gets worse after that, the endurance of being the wanted man and how he eventually learned that he was Zelda's...

Then there were Hyrule and Lorule. Two sides opposite in his palm, and he clenched his knuckle so white as both worlds desperately screamed for him to save them. Since then, he had learned the tragic truth in the hardest way possible, his whole business on adventuring was far from over. Since he had learned the existence of another world, that was Lorule, he figured out just as quick as that there were other worlds and realms he needed to save as well. _As if Hyrule only wasn't enough_ , the Goddesses mocked.

He ventured through Labrynna and Holodrum. He was surprised that the Goddesses has yet sent him to another different continent where Farore was the main character he supposedly sought to save. Because he could clearly seen the pattern here, and yet the next adventure never came. The Goddesses had bestowed him in odd mercy with placing her in his two existing adventures instead.

He though he could finally bid victory to this playing hero business and broke free from the curse of endless adventures.

How wrong he was.

Stranded alone in the sea, he was met with another of grand adventures and tragically his most painful one. The one he always, and shall forever be, kept hidden as a secret from the rest of the eight heroes. The waves, the seasalt, the lightning, the sand, the shore, the girl with the red hair ever so beautiful and smile ever so sweet, the voice ever so tender and angelic, the nightmares, the haunting song, the particular fish, the vanished island─

A mere _dream_.

Legend wasn't very sure how could he not have died during the sea with only a single log to voyage. But he was very sure not to leave his house by the time he made it back to Hyrule. He swore he _won't_ leave his house, and he appreciated Ravio's presence there to comfort him. For several months, finally, no adventures awaited his call. _Finally_ , he could be living a normal life.

How wrong he was.

It was when the group of heroes marched towards his house and explained the dire situation of the universe. Not worlds and realms anymore, but _a fucking whole universe_. He won't joined, Legend had spat so. He _won't_ make this as his sixth adventures, _as if five weren't enough already to broke him physically and mentally._

But then he heard a gasp.

“ _You're the hero everywhere in my world, the Hero of Legend! I'm your successor!_ ”

Legend didn't know what to feel with that statement. His successor, Hyrule, said with nothing but pure admiration. There's no malicious intention, that much he could tell. But why there was this sudden sense of protectiveness? A pang of guilt climbed up his throat? An emotion ever so fragile that it completely shattered whole his mask?

To think he would have a successor after all those adventures he had gone through, to think a kid just around his age experienced the same struggles and pains and traumas as him. What was he supposed to think again? Hyrule expected him to be proud and compliment him for carried out his legacy, but all Legend could express were rage and frustration to the Goddesses above. He had obediently done all the adventures given to him, clinging to a hope for all of these to stop in his generation and shall no one ever suffer the same fate as his. And yet, here he was, _he had a successor._

The reality always hit him the hardest way, even though Legend already knew no such things to avoid that fate. Not even with his Veteran title could prevent another hero from rising. Always the same old story, always with the same _legend_. Always with the same Hylia he tirelessly cursed _over and over._

But it would be alright, or so Legend had always hoped. All the adventures he had experienced through surely had its way to lessen whatever misfortunes in the distant future of his timeline. He hoped some were worth it to prevent any of his successor's burdens. He even had slayed Ganon more times than once, he's confident he had weakened the future Demon King's state and the aftermath wouldn't be as severe as his anymore.

How wrong he was.

His successor's version of Hyrule was a devastating mess. All the once green lands of the earth were no more than ash and charcoal as far as the eyes could see. The air was heavy with the sense of dread and the wind carried piercing chills to the blood-red sky. Each scenery blackened as if were becoming one with the shadows and then became no more than a barren wasteland. 

Legend froze. In that instant, his skin became pale as white as blood drained from his face. His mouth hung with lips slightly parted and his eyes were as wide and wild as they could stretch. He was rendered speechless at such sight, temporarily incapacitated, stood as if paralysed from the neck up. His brain desperately scrambling to make sense of it all, but he was unable to comprehend what had just occurred.

This was his timeline, this was his future. Nothing he worked out best could ever outmatch the disaster beyond time. Nothing had soothed away his successor's suffering. Nothing in his power could reduce Ganon's damage. The aftermath was the worst ever. Nothing was ever worth it. He held hopes high only for nothing. Nothing.

_Nothing_.

But it could have been _everything_.

He could achieve every victory if he asked for more adventures. He could offer every safety if he never complained his journey. He could live up to every of his hero title as the Hero of Legend if he wasn't so useless or reckless during the confrontation with Ganon. He could ensure every of the aftermath if he hadn't crawled under his bed in his house like some sort of sick coward.

He's willing to do anything to make the Goddesses reset every of his successor's miserable fate. He's willing to do endless adventures and battles again until he drew every of his last breath just to make his successor living out a normal and peaceful life.

_But it was all too late._

Legend fell on his knees, and he cried.

Legend wasn't dubbed as the Veteran for nothing.  
But he had everything within himself to hate the title.

“ _I failed_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Someone please give him a break.


End file.
